My bike doesn't get walked... I'll ride slow behind all the walkers but I just can't do it!

It's pretty crowded by 7:30, but not terrible. I'll be rouring differently today.

heads up - i've seen bike cops at the exit/entrance to the wash ave bridge.... i don't know if they are actually dolling out tickets or antyhing similar, but yesterday, a cop had his bike effectively blocking the doorways (maybe 2 feet of clearance between his bike and the doorway) so that if you were riding, you'd likely have a collision....or at least have to slam on your brakes... and then who knows what.

if the ped traffic is light, riding is really not a problem. but, when the ped traffic is heavy (during class changes), riding is practically impossible. plus, some of the riders are being... well... stupid - weaving in and out - actually, i'm less worried that a cyclists will hit a ped and more worried that a cyclist will take out another cyclist.

i think they oughta just have a bike side and a ped side. but that's not gonna happen.

sadly, most non-wash-ave routes add more than the 4 painful min of walking one's bike through the bridge. that said, i'd still rather ride.

u of mn ped bridge is a decent alternative.
franklin is quite a ways out of the way...

the more i think about the wash ave bridge, the more i get really upset at how the city and the university are handling this challenging situation.

why is it that the car-traffic has no rerouting nor any other inconvenience while the upper deck ped and bike traffic are taking the entire hit!

this makes no sense given the massive numbers that use the upper deck every single day.

i don't know who i would even contact regarding alternatives to the current non-solution, but it seems to me that the inconvenience should not be entirely shouldered by the upper deck users.

my proposal would be traffic calming on the lower deck with one lane designated for cars and one for cyclists (and buses, i suppose - the buses would probably need to use that lane - kind of like downtown).... it's not perfect for cyclists because of that exit up out of that area and because it does require cyclists to go a bit of a longer way across the river, but it would relieve some of the burden on the upper deck and result in a more equitable sharing of the overall inconvenience of this bridge problem....

advice? is there someone who can advocate for a better and more equitable approach to moving peds, cyclists, and cars across the river on wash ave?

thanks,

Lee

I think us bikers should just start using the lower deck, and eventually the city *might* chip in and designate a bike lane down there after all the cars start to complain.

But seriously, we have every right to that lower deck. Sure, the law says we don't, but the law doesn't apply in this situation. What's the worst that happens? The rare chance that we might get fined? The only way biking is going to become more popular as a commuting choice is if the city starts treating bikers with the same kind of respect they give to cars. Yes, the greenway, bike-lanes on roads that have 'adequate space' for them, all of that is nice, but we got a ways to go...

The right eastbound lane on the lower deck was barrelled off and closed this evening.

Take the #9 and quit whining. I guarantee that if a lot of people start taking the lower deck the cops will enforce the law and there will be more fines. Or bad accidents. It is considered a freeway. I do not like it anymore than the rest of you but shit like this happens.

Maybe since the 35W bridge is closed cars can start taking the stone arch bridge or the #9 bridge.

excuse me - i am not whining.

i am frustrated that - one again - it is car culture that rules.
who gives a rats a$$ that a load of cyclists have to get off their bikes and walk or have to go a minimum of a mile (and a hill climb) out of their way in order to make the trip across the river....

this kind of thinking MUST CHANGE. the burden of this very challenging situation should be SHARED amongst all users of the bridge - not just the cyclists.

now the peds are complaining about the cyclists.
the cops are going to write $80 tickets.
and the cars get to just keep on driving....

lee

excuse me, I am not talking to you



I totally agree, I use that bridge all the time. I am royally ticked that they are doing this now as opposed to in May.

I am with you, has anyone thought about making a petition to give to whoever at the U? Or is complaining about it and taking an illegal route the only answer. You asked a valid question and no one wants to answer or do it. So until something changes I highly do not recommend taking the lower portion to prove a point or to make change.

You should be royally pissed, public safety < fairly minor inconvenience. Maybe if they wait til May we'll have another Minnesota bridge disaster.

Actually I meant last May, which they probably did not know of the problem then but you would think that any inspections would come long before the bridge gets its most use.

Either way, my biggest beef is that people are advocating doing an illegal route instead of lobbying for a legal one and risking their lives in the process.

Oh, and I guess they are handing out tickets of 80 dollars for people riding in the enclosure.

lobbying.... that will work REAL well for this sort of thing.
no one gives a crap, especially the drivers on the lower deck....

So instead you want to just bike on the lower level and think that will make them open up a lane for bikes?

Why does my civil approach seem so far fetched yet breaking the law and risking your life is much better?

the civil approach will take longer than the time between now and spring.

I mean, maybe between now and spring we could have an informal understand with the popo that we dont need to get ticketed for riding on the lower deck.

has anyone actually been ticketed before, for riding there?

If you are concerned about safety, just wear bright colors, good lights, and watch your back, same as any other road.

Speed limit is 45, that should give cars enough time to see us.

I think that riding underneath is asking for trouble...namely your own safety. Since I do a majority of my riding through that area at night there is no way I'm going to risk going underneath both ways when its dark out. Besides the fact that cars will pick up speed and routinely hit the 45-50mph mark when the exit (heading downtown) and its not very well lit I would honestly be scared even with lights on my bike.

The shoulders are not big at all on that bridge and once it starts to snow it will be even worse. I'll be walking my bike on the top enclosure during the day and at nights I will ride through when no one is around. I can handle the short walk.